Month: April 2015

An Arlington reunion. With the relationship between the Angels and Josh Hamilton in disrepair, it looks like the much maligned OF will be returning to the place where he experienced his biggest successes, Texas. With the Rangers, Hamilton already has an organization that is familiar with his struggles and has a solid support system already in place. This could turn out to be a move with mutual benefit to both Hamilton and the Rangers. If Hamilton can come back healthy and sober, he could be a big upgrade for a team that is struggling offensively.

A meaningful subway series. The Yankees and Mets clashed in the Bronx over the weekend in a weekend series that saw the Yankees take two of three and end the Mets 11 game win streak. Depending on how season plays out for both teams, their next meeting, in September, could be very interesting and very entertaining.

Mitch Harris’ debut. The 29 yr old Cardinals pitcher became the 1st Navy grad in 94 years to make his MLB debut. He wound up striking out the first batter he faced (Adam Lind) on four pitches, before going on to hold the Brewers scoreless through 1 1/3.

Adrian Beltre and Garrett Richards. We all knew that the dude didn’t like his head being touched for whatever reason. Now we know not to mess with his bats either. The Rangers 3B sent the Angels starter an invoice for three broken bats following their most recent matchup that saw Richards break three of Beltre’s bats, in three at bats. No word if the invoice was paid.

Slugfest between Brewers and Reds. Reds beat the Brewers 16-10 in a game that saw the teams combine to hit 7 homers, including 3 grand slams.

Early season overreactions. The Astros… ASTROS… are currently sitting atop the AL West with a 2.5 game lead over the 2nd place Angels. I know it’s early, but it’s hard not to like seeing the Astros sitting in any position that isn’t dead last.

Everything that is Bartolo Colon

What We Hated:

The chip on Yordano Ventura’s shoulder. Ventura is listed as being and even “six foot,” yet that chip developing on his shoulder, is at least twice that size. I love this kid. I love his arsenal, his confidence and his swagger. What I cannot stand though is this “take on all comers” attitude that he has displayed thus far. I don’t hate him for throwing at batters in retaliation for his own players getting hit. What I hate is him running his mouth at Adam Eaton after fielding a routine comebacker. There is no one else to blame for sparking that melee than Ventura; he was the catalyst. This comes one week after Ventura was one of the prominent figures in the A’s/Royals brawl(s). Ventura is only 23 years old, and he is already becoming one of MLB’s most hated players.

Pitchers getting injured while batting. After jamming his thumb during an at bat, it was announced that Nationals pitcher, Max Scherzer, would not make his next start, but he would also miss a trip to the DL. The Nationals should consider themselves blessed to have received that injury update, it was abundantly better than the news that the Cardinals received in regards to Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals ace will miss the next 8-12 months after suffering a torn achillies tendon. The injury occurred as Wainwright ran up the 1st base line following an at bat. Luckily for the Cardinals, if there is one team that should have no problem in handling a key loss like this, it is the Cardinals.

Pitchers batting. After the Giants catcher, Buster Posey, suffered a broken leg following a collision at home plate, MLB wasted no time in altering the rules of how a catcher could block the plate. This was done to protect catchers from experiencing an injury like the one that Posey had suffered. Perhaps it is time MLB follows suit regarding pitchers batting in the National League. This isn’t my idea though, even players are advocating for it. Following his injury while batting, Max Scherzer was quoted as saying that he believes that it’s time that the NL follows the AL and adopts the DH rule. Scherzer wasn’t advocating for it because of his recent injury, but rather on the basis of improving offense and entertainment. This is what he said to Jon Heyman of CBS:

“If you look at it from the macro side, who’d people rather see hit — Big Papi [Red Sox first baseman/DH David Ortiz] or me? Who would people rather see, a real hitter hitting home runs or a pitcher swinging a wet newspaper? Both leagues need to be on the same set of rules … Those kids, they want to see V-Mart hit,” Scherzer said, pointing out a group of children on the field at Marlins Park. “Those kids don’t want to see me hit. No one wants to see a pitcher hit. No one pays money for that … We keep searching for offense,” Scherzer added. “This would be the easiest way to add offense.”

Should be interesting to see how this plays out in the future; especially given new Commissioner Rob Manfred’s penchant for change.

The Angels front office. For the third week in a row, the Angels front office has publicly struggled with what to do in regards to Josh Hamilton. We now know that the Angels were more willing to ship Hamilton back to Texas, eat (almost) all of his remaining contract, and receive NOTHING in return, over dealing with Hamilton’s relapse. Must be nice to have the money to make mistakes like this go away…

Bautista vs. the O’s bullpen. Another series against Baltimore and another O’s reliever throws behind Joey Bats. Of course, Bautista smashes the next pitch into the LF bleachers. Only thing that made it better was Bautista’s reaction following the homer.

A’s vs. Royals. If you’re a fan of the old time, hardnosed style of baseball, then this has become a must watch series. Takeout slides, bean balls, emptying benches and ejections were in ample supply in this 2014 AL Wild Card rematch. Lost in all the hate and animosity was the fact that the Royals were able to stay hot as they took 2 of 3 from the A’s. Make sure you have your PVR’s set on June 26th-28th for the next time these two square off, this time the A’s will have home field advantage.

Beginning of Brighter Days in the Windy City. Both the Cubs and the White Sox have promoted their teams top prospects, 3B Kris Bryant and LHP Carlos Rodon. Although he struggled in his debut, Bryant has looked rather impressive in the 3 games he has played thus far; he even added a “house league homer” to his short highlight reel. Rodon, on the other hand, is set to join the White Sox early this week and will pitch out of the bullpen to begin his MLB career. The stream of prospects heading to the Windy City will only continue to flow as the Cubs are set to promote (another) top prospect, SS Addison Russell, at some point this week.

Nelson Cruz is who we thought he was. The Mariners big offseason acquisition is currently hitting .358/8/16 with an ungodly 1.234 OPS for the short season. That includes having a stat line of .500/6/10 this week alone.

The Braves (current) Big Three. The trio of starters, Julio Teheran (2-0/3.71 ERA), Alex Wood (1-0/3.93 ERA) and Shelby Miller (2-0/1.69 ERA), are easily the Braves biggest strength and have shown that even with a somewhat suspect lineup, the Braves could potentially contend based on their arms alone.

The return of Garrett Richards. Sure it wasn’t the prettiest of starts (5IP/5 H/4 ER) but at least Garrett Richards is back on a big league mound after undergoing surgery for a torn patellar tendon.

Adam Jones. The Orioles CF is making an early and strong case for being the best CF in MLB. Jones is currently hitting .438/5/16 with a 1.294 OPS.

The promotion of OF Yasmany Tomas by the Diamondbacks.

What We Hated:

Kelvin Herrera headhunting. I am a big fan of that old style of baseball mentioned above. I also believe in the “you hit one of ours, we’ll hit one of yours,” approach in baseball. What I don’t agree with is throwing at a guy’s head. Not only is it a blatant intent to injure, but it could also kill someone, especially when you’re hitting 100mph on the radar gun like Herrera does. If you really want to get “revenge” for an aggressive takeout slide or one of your guys getting plunked, by all means hit one of their batters, but just aim for the ribs or thigh.

Another DL trip for Derek Holland. The pitching starved Rangers were banking on the veteran left hander to be one of the brighter spots in a bleak rotation, but instead, Holland will spend upwards of the next two months on the DL with (another) shoulder injury. That now makes 9 Rangers currently sitting on the Disabled List.

Are the Marlins this bad? Off to a 3-10 start and with rumours starting to circulate about the security of Manager Mike Redmond’s job, the Marlins seem far from the team that a lot of people were expecting to make some noise in the National League this season.

Travis d’Arnaud’s durability. The Mets catcher is headed to the DL again. It’s a shame to see a combo of bad luck and proneness for injury keeping a player of d’Arnaud’s talent out of the lineup on a consistent basis.

Mets injury woes. David Wright (hamstring), Travis d’Arnaud (Broken Hand) and Jerry Blevins (Fractured Forearm) are all the latest members of the Mets to wind up on the DL. At least this means that we will see one of the Mets top prospects, Kevin Plawecki, make his MLB debut.

Kris Bryant’s debut. Not that we actually “hate” it, but the highly touted Bryant went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts in his MLB debut. Don’t worry… I’m sure it won’t be a trend.

Kevin F*****g Pillar! Dude is playing on a different level. Followed up his highlight reel performance in Baltimore by making what could very well be the catch of the year…

Devin Travis. Sure Tony the Chain is looking alright in Detroit, but Travis could prove to be a downright steal. All Travis has done since he made the team has played exceptional 2B D and not given away one single at bat. Seriously. Travis works each and every count like he is an 8 year pro. Oh… and he can also hit lead off.

Josh Donaldson’s bat waking up. The Jays three bagger went 11 for 29 with 3 HR and 7 RBI this past week.

The Old Breed. Veteran starting pitchers, Buehrle (2-0/3.75 ERA) and Dickey (0-1/3.26 ERA) have proven to be their usual reliable selves, as well as the lone bright spots, in a Blue Jays rotation that currently has a collective ERA of 5.14.

Liam Hendriks. Never thought I’d heap praise in any kind towards one of the Jay’s “jobbers,” but the Aussie right hander has looked pretty decent in a mop up role out of the pen. Hendricks has seen his fastball velocity rise and has used it to strike out 9 in 5.1 shutout innings thus far.

What We Hated:

Not being able to have anything nice. First it’s discovered that the oft-injured Jose Reyes could spend some time on the DL with a fractured rib. Then, early bright spot, Devin Travis, wears a fastball in the ribs and is forced to leave the game after sliding back to 1B to avoid a pickoff. Sure it turned out to be just a bone bruise… but still… anytime you have to employ a double play combo of Goins and Tolleson is a lose/lose.

Blue Jay Killers. The Jays had the privilege of facing not one, but two players, whom flat out OWN the Jays for their careers. First, Desmond Jennings and the Rays came to town and took 3 of 4, including the Home Opener. Dezzy joins the likes of Longo and Carl Crawford as current and former Rays players, who just RAKE against the Jays. With Jennings and the Rays leaving town, the Braves were next to roll into the Dome. With them came the former O and long time Blue Jay killer, Nick Markakais. Sure enough, Markakis and the Braves were able to take 2 of 3 over the weekend. And we’re not even mentioning how the Jays have already faced known Blue Jay murderers, Brett Gardener and Adam Jones, to open the season.

Dalton Pompey. The young CF has had more struggles than highlights in the young season. Given Kevin Pillar’s ridiculous play to start the season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pompey be the one optioned to AAA Buffalo to make room for Saunders once he comes off the DL.

The Young Guns. The three starting pitchers NOT NAMED Buehrle or Dickey all currently have an ERA sitting North of 6.00.

Gibby doing his best Dusty Baker. Don’t you just get the feeling that Gibby is just going to grind the young arms of Osuna and Castro right into the Rogers Centre turf? And speaking of that turf…

The amount of times per broadcast that you have to hear about the new turf. The over/under is set at 10.5 mentions per game; always take the over.

Near No Hitters. Sonny Gray, Drew Hutchison and Max Scherzer all had no hit bids broken up on Opening Day. A few days later, Trevor Bauer and a combo of Cleveland relievers had a collective no-no broke up by a Jed Lowrie bomb with one out in the 9th

Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez set a MLB record by becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 5 HR in his first three games, when he launched three solo bombs on the third day of the year.

Mike Trout doing Mike Trout things. Trout has hit HR’s in back to back Opening Days and both have been off of the Mariners (King) Felix Hernandez.

Craig Kimbrel’s Padres debut. After being acquired hours before Opening Day, Kimbrel came in vs. the Dodgers in a non save situation and promptly struck out the side in Padres debut.

Tigers set AL record with 24 scoreless innings to start season. It should be noted that this was against the hapless Twins, so an asterisk may be needed.

Albert Pujols hitting career HR #522. The Angels slugger has now moved past Ted Williams, Frank Thomas and Willie McCovey and taken sole possession of 18th place on the all time HR list.

Matt Harvey’s Return. After missing all of 2014 following Tommy John surgery, Harvey made his return to the Mets rotation and did not disappoint. The Mets right hander threw six dominant, shutout innings, struck out nine and only walked one. His fastball velocity was also sitting in the 95-97mph range.

Locking up the Tribe. Indians signed starters Corey Kluber (5yrs/$38.5mil) and Carlos Carrasco (4yrs/$22mil) to very team favourable deals.

Royals lock up Yordano Ventura. The 23 year old Ventura signed a 5yrs/$23mil contract the same day that the Indians signed their duo of starters.

Eric Hosmer’s combo of batting stance and bat tape. Makes him look like he will smash every pitch thrown his way.

What We Hated:

Stanozolol suspensions. Within 16 days of each other, MLB had issued 80 game suspensions to four players. The two most notable names were SP Ervin Santana of the Twins and RP Jenrry Mejia of the Mets. The other two were minor league pitchers Arodys Vizcaino of the Braves abd David Rollins of the Mariners. It should be interesting to see how MLB and new commissioner, Rob Manfred, handle baseballs latest drug/PED related scandal.

The ongoing Josh Hamilton/Angels situation. I don’t understand how you can suddenly abandon and throw a guy under the bus because he relapsed. Hamilton’s struggles with drugs and alcohol have been well documented and the Angels knew this LONG before they signed him to 5yr/$125mil deal in the 2012 offseason. The way that this has publicly played out has been ugly and will only get uglier the longer it goes on.

Brett Lawrie’s four strikeouts on twelve pitches. Hard to see a guy who’s jersey and shersey you once proudly wore have a night like this. The sequence went like this: Fastball, Slider, Slider… Slider, Slider, Slider… Curveball, Curveball, Curveball… Slider, Slider, Slider.

Mat Latos Marlins debut. The Florida native was acquired by the Marlins in the offseason and they’re sure hoping that his Opening Day performance won’t become a habit. Latos didn’t even make it out of the 1st inning and was charged with 7ER on 6 H in 2/3 of an inning… yeesh.

Rick Porcello cashes in. Sure the RHP has won 10 or more games every year since entering the league, but Porcello’s stuff has always projected him more as a middle of the rotation arm. He is now getting paid to be an ace.

C’s first start since last May. The big lefthander looked average at best and gave up 4 earned over 5 1/3. It was Sabathia’s first start since undergoing knee surgery last season.

The rain delay at Marlins Park. Despite being equipped with a $50 million dollar retractable roof to prevent this exact thing, the Marlins experienced a 16 minute rain delay. The culprit behind this delay was a weather app that failed to notify them of the pending rain shower approaching. Because they’re the Marlins of course…

The amount of combined f***s given by 20 year old rookies, Roberto Osuna and Miguel Castro. Osuna made his MLB debut vs. the Yankees, with the bases loaded and the current career grand slam leader(A-Rod) standing in the batter’s box at the dish. He promptly struck him out with a filthy change-up. Castro on the other hand, has already assumed the closers role after Brett Cecil struggled.

Hutch carving up the Yanks Opening Day in the Bronx. After struggling against left-handed hitters a year ago, Hutch easily handled the left handed heavy lineup that the Yankees threw out against him.

Aaron Sanchez wearing Stro’s glove as a tribute.

Every single thing Kevin Pillar has done thus far. Has been (arguably) the Blue Jays best player through the first two series. Pillar has easily submitted three candidates for Highlight of the Night, and that was just in the series against the Orioles.

The latest chapter in the Joey Bats/Darren O’Day feud. Bautista deposited a 3-2 slider into the LF stands at Camden on Sunday afternoon. This came on the heels of having a pitch thrown behind his back. Bautista now has 4 HR off of the Orioles RHP since the two exchanged words at the Rogers Centre back in 2013.

What We Hated:

Hutch getting pounded by the O’s. The offense provided him with an 8 run cushion and he seemed almost eager to give it right back. The right hander struggled with his location and was tagged for a pair of HR’s. Very surprising result given that Hutch has had success versus the Orioles in his career.

Aaron Sanchez’s lack of fastball command in Baltimore drubbing. The highly touted Sanchez, who was making his first MLB start, struggled to locate his fastball and it showed, especially when he gave up two bombs in the first inning. Sanchez said he struggled with his delivery as he was more worried trying to conserve energy, rather than just throw normally like he did when he pitched out of the bullpen last season. It should be interesting to see if he adjusts and how it affects his next start.

Bullpen woes in the 8th inning of the second game at Yankee. I get that it’s only the second game and that they were pitching in a virtual monsoon, but that is still a game you need to win. Especially when it won’t be any easier to take these games the next time the Jays travel to the Bronx, in August.

Amount of strikeouts by Joey Bats in Opening Series. Eight strikeouts, no hits, one walk in twelve at bats in the Bronx.

Paul Goldschmidt. Runner up for the NL MVP in 2014, Goldy was limited to a mere 109 games in 2014, thanks to a fractured left hand, but he still was able to hit .300/19/69 with a .938 OPS in 406 AB. With the 2015 season having the potential to be a very long and dismal one, Goldy could be one of the (few) bright spots in the desert this season.

Power in the middle of the lineup. The duo of Goldschmidt and Trumbo have the power between them to hit a combined 70+ HR this season. That number could, and will go up when offseason addition, Yasmani Tomas, makes his debut in a D-Backs jersey.

Quantity of Starting Pitching. The D-Backs will begin the season with a starting rotation of: Josh Collmenter, Jeremy Hellickson, Archie Bradley, Rubby De La Rosa and Chase Anderson. They also have Daniel Hudson, Allen Webster, Robbie Ray and Randall Delgado on the 40 man roster, all of whom can, and have started in their career. Meanwhile starters Patrick Corbin and Bronson Arroyo will open the season on the DL.

Archie Bradley’s upside. D-Backs top prospect could have a big impact after an impressive showing in the Arizona Fall League and Spring Training.

Tuffy Gosewich’s name. Throwback to the days when players were named Pud and Nap.

What We Hate:

Catching situation. After trading incumbent catcher, Miguel Montero, to the Cubs in the offseason, the D-Backs will head into the 2015 season with the duo of Tuffy Gosewich and Jordan Pacheco splitting duties behind the dish. For their careers, Gosewich and Pacheco have played a combined 382 games in 8 combined seasons, with Pacheco (322 games) being the more experienced of the two. The D-Backs also have Oscar Hernandez in the minors, as well as veteran catcher, Gerald Laird. Laird was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, but he will neither help nor harm this dearth of catching talent.

Quality of Starting Pitching. Jeremy Hellickson has been average at best since winning the AL Rookie of the Year back in 2011 and will need to rebound from elbow surgery that cut his 2014 short. Josh Collmenter would be a mid rotation guy in the majority of other ML teams and highly touted pitching prospect, Archie Bradley, will be pitching in his first full season. In addition to Bradley, the rest of the rotation (De La Rosa and Anderson) are also pitching in their first full seasons in the majors. The other starters, who are opening the season in the minors (Delgado, Webster and Ray), also lack an abundance of major league experience. In addition to the inexperience, the D-Backs rotation has also been shrouded in questions about their durability. As mentioned above, Patrick Corbin and Bronson Arroyo will open the season on the DL, while Jeremy Hellickson will attempt to rebound from bone chip removal surgery on his pitching elbow. Daniel Hudson has also spent considerable time on the DL during his career.

The Yasmany Tomas 3B experience. The D-Backs were hoping that their big free agent signing would be able 3B decent enough to allow his bat to be in their everyday lineup. That did not work as expected. Tomas looked lost at the hot corner during Spring Training and was sent to AAA to open the season to refine his defensive positioning. It was recently announced that Tomas will now primarily play RF at AAA.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Aaron Hill and Dotel were briefly teammates back in Toronto in 2011, before both were shipped out of town in separate trades.

Final Prediction: 5th NL West

Colorado Rockies

Home Field: Coors Field

2014: 66 – 96 · 4th NL West

O/U in 2015: 70.5 · Over

What We Love:

The Dynamic Duo of Cargo and Tulo. When healthy, these two are tops at their respective positions and among the best players in the game today. In fact, there are few teams that can offer the production that the Rockies get out of these two. It should be interesting to follow what happens with these two over the course of the season, as they are also two of the best trade chips in the game.

Trio of young starters. 2014 rookie, Tyler Matzek, will be joined in the rotation by one of the Rockies top pitching prospects, Eddie Butler. Meanwhile in AAA, 2nd overall pick in 2013 and top pitching prospect, Jon Gray, should be up in Colorado at some point this season.

Durability of Cargo and Tulo. Sure they are among the game’s elite players, but they are also among the game’s most injury prone. Both Cargo and Tulo have spent lengthy trips on the DL FOUR times in their careers. Seeing as both players play a very physical, all out style of play, it’s hard not to believe that that DL number is only going to rise.

End of an Era? There is also the possibility that both of the Rockies talented, but oft-injured stars get traded at some point this season. Although this could be a good thing for the long term future of the Rockies, it also could go South quickly if the Rockies fail to trade the stars before their value diminishes.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Dotel had a cup of tea with the Rockies back in 2010 and was unspectacular at best. He pitched 5.1 innings over 8 games, posted an ERA of 5.06 and walked 4 batters to 6 strikeouts. The Rockies were also one of three teams that the right hander pitched for in 2010.

Final Prediction: 5th NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers

Home Field: Dodger Stadium

2014: 94 – 68 · 1st NL West

O/U in 2015: 91.5 Wins · Over

What We Love:

Batting Order. The Dodgers should throw out an everyday lineup that is among the best in MLB. It should look something like this: SS Jimmy Rollins, LF Carl Crawford, RF Yasiel Puig, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, 2B Howie Kendrick, 3B Juan Uribe, C Yasmani Grandal and CF Joc Pederson. They also have OF Andre Ethier, IF Justin Turner and C A.J Ellis on the pine.

Top of the rotation. The trio of LHP Clayton Kershaw, RHP Zack Greinke and LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu give the Dodgers one of the best top of the rotations in MLB. Both Kershaw and Greinke are former Cy Young winners and perennial candidates for the award. Ryu is no slouch in his own regard, and has been one of the better LHP since coming to North America in 2013.

Addition of Andrew Friedman to the front office. Friedman, who built the Rays into a perennial contender, is considered one of the brightest minds in the game.

What We Hate:

Back of rotation. Sure the top three are beyond impressive, but the bottom two leave something to be desired. The 4th and 5th rotation spots belong to oft-injured starters Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson. Both pitchers have missed considerable amount of time during their career due to injuries, and there is no reason not to believe that a DL stint or two is in the cards for this season.

Bullpen woes. Closer Kenley Jensen is out until at least May and setup man, Brandon League, could be done for the entire season. The Dodgers will lean on Joel Peralta and JP Howell to get them through until Jensen is back throwing smoke in the 9th.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Dotel pitched 18.2 innings in 19 games for the Dodgers back in 2010. The Dodgers were one of three teams that Dotel played for in 2010.

Final Prediction: 1st NL West

San Francisco Giants

Home Field: AT&T Park

2014: 88 – 74 · 2nd NL West

O/U in 2015: 85.5 Wins · Under

What We Love:

Madison Bumgarner. You may have heard of Bumgarner after his near legendary post season pitching performance in 2014. Postseason success aside, Bumgarner is a legitimate ace, one of the best southpaws in the game today and only 25 years old. If injuries don’t derail it, we could be looking at a future Hall of Famer.

Buster Posey. Arguably the best catcher in the game today, Posey has three World Series rings, two All Star appearances, two Silver Sluggers and an MVP to his credit, all before the age of 28.

Bruce Bochy’s Bag of Post Season Fairy Dust. The Giants manager had it bequeathed to him when Tony LaRussa retired from the dugout.

AT&T Park. Pound for pound the most beautiful ballpark in the game.

The cream coloured, Willie Mays era jerseys.

What We Hate:

Durability of starting rotation. Maddy Bumgarner is the only member of the rotation to have not spent time on the DL during his career. Tim Hudson, Ryan Vogelsong and Jake Peavy have all spent considerable time on the DL. And in the case of Matt Cain, there is no guarantees that he ever returns to the form that made him a 3x All Star.

Loss of the Panda. After fan favourite, Pablo Sandoval, left for Boston via free agency, the Giants decided to sign Casey McGehee to replace the departed Panda. McGehee enjoyed a comeback season in his return to MLB, after spending a year in Japan, but there is as likely to replicate his 2014 success as he is to return to the player who was out of the majors as recently as two seasons ago. What makes it worse is that the Giants have practically no depth at 3B (Joaquin Arias?) behind McGehee.

Post season success in even number years. The Giants have appeared in four World Series since 2001 (2002, 2010, 2012 and 2014). After losing to the Angels in 2002, they manage to win it all in their next three trips.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Tim Hudson and Dotel were teammates on the Braves in 2007.

Final Prediction: 3rd NL West

San Diego Padres

Home Field: Petco Park

2014: 77 – 85 · 3rd NL West

O/U in 2015: 84.5 Wins · Over

What We Love:

A.J Preller’s Shopping Spree. The new Padres GM wasted no time in showing MLB that he intended on turning the Padres into contenders over night. Acting like he was playing an elite version of MLB the Show, Preller added the likes of: Justin Upton, Matt Kemp, Wil Myers, Will Middlebrooks, Derek Norris and James Shields, this past offseason. Not content with those moves, Preller than acquired All Star closer Craig Kimbrel and the Upton formerly known as B.J from the Braves on MLB’s Opening Night. Amazingly, Preller managed to make all of these additions without having to completely deplete his farm system.

The Bullpen. It was already suppose to be an area of strength heading into the season, but the last minute addition of Craig Kimbrel, now makes this one of the deepest pens in MLB. Kimbrel will be joined in the pen by hard throwing setup men, Joaquin Benoit and Kevin Quackenbush. While the rest of the bullpen will be rounded out by Dale Thayer, Nick Vincent, Shawn Kelley and Brandon Maurer. Aside from shutting the door on the opposition, the depth of their bullpen could allow GM A.J Preller and the Padres to use it as potential trade bait.

The Padres being the FINAL winner of the Wil Myers/James Shield trade.

The Tony Gwynn era brown jerseys.

The Friar mascot.

What We Hate:

Durability concerns in the rotation. Aside from medium sized game James, the rest of the Padres starting rotation have all spent time on the DL during their career. Andrew Cashner and Brandon Morrow both offer tremendous upsides and near unhittable stuff when they are healthy, unfortunately for the duo (mainly Morrow) their durability has held them back from making great leaps in pitching dominance. It looks like the durability issues have started early as the Padres placed starter, Ian Kennedy, on the DL last week.

Inexperience at SS. The Padres released Everth Cabrera and his off the field issues during the offseason and will turn to Alexi Amarista to take over the SS position.

Who is leading off in this lineup? Sure the Padres revamped (nearly) every area of their roster and lineup, but the one area they failed to address was finding a leadoff hitter.

Youth Movement. Years of poor finishes and savvy trades have left the Cubs with the best farm system in MLB. Cubs’ fans have already been introduced to the likes of Javier Baez, Arismandy Alcantara and Jorge Soler. Amazingly, the best is still to come. We’ll have to wait a few weeks, due to controllability reasons, but it will definitely be worth it, when one of the most highly touted prospects in all of baseball, Kris Bryant, makes their highly anticipated debut. Following him will be the likes of SS Addison Russell, RHP C.J Edwards and C/OF Kyle Schwarber.

Jon Lester. Not only does the signing of the left handed Lester give the Cubs a legit workhorse and ace in their rotation, but it also signifies that the Cubs are willing to be buyers opposed to sellers. Next step: contention.

Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon. The former Rays manager signed a 5 year deal to become the Cubs new bench boss in the offseason. Maddon is considered one of the best baseball minds in the game and it should be very interesting to see what happens when he teams up with another great baseball mind in Epstein. What Maddon and former Rays GM Andrew Friedman did in Tampa Bay was absolutely remarkable. It should be very fun to see what Maddon and Epstein are able to do with this roster and (deep) farm system.

Anthony Rizzo. After a breakout year in 2014, the Cubs first baseman could be showing the first signs of potential super stardom.

What We Hate:

Kris Bryant toiling in the minors. I understand that it’s more about the business end of the game (service time, controllability, etc…) than of a question of whether he has the talent to belong; he answered that during Spring Training. Either way, it sucks.

Renovations at Wrigley. It just isn’t the same without the fans in the outfield bleachers. It also seems really odd to see a Jumbotron sitting above the ivy covered outfield. I’m sure this is what it must have felt like when they (finally) installed lights back in 1988.

That ridiculous attempt at a mascot.

Knowing that Mark Prior is only 34 and hasn’t thrown a pitch in the majors since 2006.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Newly acquired CF Dexter Fowler was teammates with the reliever back in 2010, while they were both in Colorado. The Rockies were one of three teams that Dotel played for in 2010.

Final Prediction: 4th NL Central

Cincinnati Reds

Home Field: Great American Ballpark

2014: 76 – 86 · 4th NL Central

O/U in 2015: 79.5 · Under

What We Love:

Johnny Cueto. The Reds right hander made 34 starts a year ago went 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA, struck out 242 hitters over 243.2 innings and finished 2nd in NL Cy Young voting. It was his best season since he went 19-9 back in 2012. Cueto is signed through 2015 and becomes a free agent at season’s end, if the Reds are far enough out of it in this season, don’t be surprised to see Cueto become available.

The new Todd-Father. After posting back to back above average seasons in 2012 and 2013, Frazier enjoyed a big breakout year in 2014. Last season, Frazier played in 157 games, hit for a .273 average and added 29 HR and 80 RBI; he also made his first career All Star appearance.

The Cuban Missile. What’s not to like about watching Aroldis Chapman sling 100mph+ fastballs, with a wipeout slider, from the left-hand side?

Billy Hamilton’s wheels. Hamilton would have fit right in during the stolen base heyday of the 1980’s. The Reds CF has elite speed and stole 56 bases in his rookie season a year ago. Hamilton’s speed gives him the ability to change the outcome of each and every game on the bases alone.

The 2015 Mid-Summer Classic. The Queen City will be the host of this year’s All Star game and festivities. It should also make for an interesting Home Run Derby, given Great American Ballpark’s home run friendly reputation.

Mr. Red, the Red’s mustachioed mascot.

What We Hate:

The rotation behind Cueto. Homer Bailey will open the season on the DL and Mike Leake has been a pretty reliable starter since he came in to the majors back in 2010, but after those two, things get a little questionable. The Reds traded RHP Mat Latos to the Marlins in the offseason and one of the players they got back, RHP Anthony DeScalafani, will open the season in the Reds rotation. DeScalafani has 6 career starts to his professional resume. Veteran right-hander and 2015 “I can’t believe he is still eating in MLB” candidate, Jason Marquis, and Cuban rookie, Raisel Iglesias, will round out the rotation. LHP Tony Cingrani is also available to start, but he will open the season in the bullpen.

Durability concerns. The Reds ability to contend in the Central could come down to how many man games they lose to the Disabled List. Players like Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Devin Mesoraco and Aroldis Chapman have all spent time on the DL at one point or another. SP Homer Bailey will open the season on the DL but should come off of it within the first couple weeks.

27 and counting. With Marlon Byrd slated to open the season as the starting LF, he will become the 27th different player to patrol LF for the Reds since the Big Donkey (Adam Dunn) left in August 2008.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Dotel was teammates with OF Skip Schumaker back in St. Louis in 2011.

Final Prediction: 5th NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers

Home Field: Miller Park

2014: 82 – 80 · 3rd NL Central

O/U in 2015: 80.5 Wins · Over

What We Love:

Brewers batting order. Even with Ryan Braun sitting out the first couple games of the season because of a strained side, this is a batting order that could be among the most potent in the National League. Until Braun returns, the Brewers batting order should look something like this: CF Carlos Gomez, C Jonathan Lucroy, 1B Adam Lind, 3B Aramis Ramirez, LF Khris Davis, RF Gerardo Parra, SS Jean Segura and 2B Scooter Gennett.

Jonathan Lucroy. Took a big next step in becoming an elite catcher with his 2014 season. Lucroy hit .301/13/69 in 153 games; his 53 doubles also paced MLB.

Aramis Ramirez’s career. Seems like an eternity since he made his MLB debut as a 20yr old in Pittsburgh back in 1998. Now in the twilight of his career, Ramirez will most likely not end up in Cooperstown, but he had one hell of a career nonetheless: 18 seasons · 2060 G · 2189 H · .285 AVG · .840 OPS · 369 HR · 1342 RBI · 3x All Star · 1x Silver Slugger.

The Robin Yount era throwbacks. Nothing more 80’s than that blue and yellow colour scheme. The MB Glove logo is also pound for pound tops in MLB.

Any ballplayer named Scooter.

What We Hate:

Starting rotation. The Brewers moved RHP Yovanni Gallardo to the Rangers in the offseason and in doing so; they have depleted a rotation that was already pretty thin to begin. Right-handers, Matt Garza and Kyle Lohse, will anchor the rotation but both have been susceptible to injury in their career. RHP Wily Peralta enjoyed a big 17 win breakout season in 2014 but it was only his second full season in the majors so who knows what happens this season. After those three, the rotation should be rounded out by Mike Fiers and Jimmy Nelson. Former 1st rounders, Johnny Hellweg, Taylor Jungman and Jed Bradley are all in the minors but have not shown much promise, if any, at the ML level.

Poor farm system. Years of poor scouting and player development has left the Brewers with one of the thinner farm systems in MLB. The Brewers farm system lacks both impact pitching prospects, as well as impact positional prospects. Not only does this lack of depth hamper the Brewers if injuries occur, but it also leaves the cupboards bare if Brewers management looks to add via the trade market.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Recently acquired, Adam Lind, and Dotel were members of the Blue Jays back in 2011.

Final Prediction: 3rd NL Central

Pittsburgh Pirates

Home Field: PNC Park

2014: 88 – 74 · 2nd NL Central

O/U in 2015: 85.5 Wins · Over

What We Love:

Andrew McCutchen’s everything. The 2013 NL MVP winner actually had a statistically better season in 2014 than in his MVP year the season before. Cutch hit .314/25/83 in 146 games last season and led MLB with a .410 OBP. In seven seasons in the bigs, Cutch is a 4x All Star and has finished in the top three in MVP voting in the last three straight seasons.

Josh Harrison’s versatility. Due to injuries and lack of production, The Jay Hey Kid saw time at 2B, 3B, SS, LF and RF in 2014. But it wasn’t just in the field where Harrison had an impact on the Pirates. Harrison’s .315/13/52 in 143 games were all new career highs and helped propel the Pirates back into the postseason. The Pirates rewarded Harrison by signing him to a 4yr/$27.3mil contract before the start of the season.

Gerrit Cole’s fastball.

Pedro Alvarez’s power and move across the diamond to 1B

Any throwback jersey from the 1970’s.

What We Hate:

Loss of Russell Martin. In Martin, the Pirates lost a leader both on the field and in the clubhouse, an elite defender and receiver and some valuable run production in the lineup. The loss of Martin could have been softened by going out and acquiring another legitimate starting catcher, but instead opted to sign former Yankees backup, Francisco Cervelli. That of course leads me to the next point…

Attempting to replace Russell Martin with Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli, who has spent his career as a backup in New York, has never played in more than 93 games in a season and is now poised to become a starting catcher for the first time in his career. Cervelli, who has spent considerable time on the DL, will also need to prove that he has the durability to catch upwards of 130 games.

Back of rotation. The duo of LHP Jeff Locke and RHP Vance Worley are nothing special but will need to keep the seats warm until top pitching prospects, Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon, are ready for the show.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: The Pirates are one of the thirteen franchises that Dotel has suited up for. Dotel pitched in 41 games back in 2010.

Final Prediction: 2nd Central

St. Louis Cardinals

Home Field: Busch Stadium

2014: 90 – 72 · 1st NL Central

O/U in 2015: 87.5 Wins · Over

What We Love:

The acquisition of Jason Heyward. Faced with suddenly having to replace Oscar Taveras, the Cards sent former 1st rounder, Shelby Milller, to the Braves for the talented Heyward. Heyward’s blend of speed, power and defense, should play well in this Cardinals lineup. What is also worth noting is the fact that the Cardinals should hardly miss having Miller in their rotation, as highly touted, former prospect, Carlos Martinez, is poised to fill that void.

Yadier Molina. Still among the games top catchers and an elite defender at the position.

Kolten Wong’s combo of power and speed.

The management team of Mike Matheny and GM John Mozeliak.

Carlos Martinez wearing #18 in honour of Oscar Taveras.

What We Hate:

Durability of starting rotation. Lance Lynn and Carlos Martinez are the only members of the Cardinals rotation who haven’t spent time on the Disabled List during their career. The others, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright, John Lackey and Jaime Garcia, have all spent considerable amounts of time on the DL during their career.

The tragic death of Oscar Taveras. Just an unbelievable loss of talent and life. RIP.

Lack of power in the lineup. Outside of 1B Matt Adams, this is a team that is void of a true HR threat.

Giving the Cardinals free 1st round picks as a “competitive balance.” Small market or not, how does a team that has won World Series titles in 2006 and 2011, as well as losing titles in 2004 and 2013, get given free first round draft selections?

Six Degrees of Octavio Dotel: Dotel was part of the Cardinals World Series championship team back in 2011. Dotel was acquired by the Cardinals, as part of the package received from the Blue Jays, in exchange for CF Colby Rasmus.

Depth of Starting Rotation. Braves start the season with a rotation consisting of: RHP Julio Teheran, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Shelby Miller, LHP Eric Stults and RHP Trevor Cahill. The Braves also have LHP Manny Banuelos and RHP Mike Foltynewicz in AAA, LHP Mike Minor on the DL, and a trio of top pitching prospects on the farm (Max Fried, Matt Wisler and Lucas Sims).

Andrelton Simmons making glove in the field. Simmons has won the NL Gold Glove at SS in both of his two full seasons in MLB. Here are a “few” of his web gems from last season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38fxtOA6Tk

Freddie Freeman at 1B. One of the few bright spots to look forward to in Atlanta this season.

Lackluster offense. Offseason house cleaning may have turned Atlanta into a contender for worst offense in baseball.

Being Nick Markakis. I wonder if Markakis was aware of the Braves plans to rebuild when he inked his 4yr/$44mil contract in the offseason. Speaking of…

Nick Markakis contract. Why make a point of shedding payroll and getting out from under “bad contracts,” just to dole out (potentially) another bad contract? Doesn’t make sense during (apparent) rebuild phase.

No more Craig Kimbrel closing games. Latest name to be shipped out of town. Takes his 90.7 SV% with him to San Diego.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: The Braves were one of two teams that Dotel pitched for in 2007; the Royals being the other.

Final Prediction: 4th NL East.

Miami Marlins

Home Field: Marlins Park

2014: 77 – 85 · 4th NL East

O/U in 2015: 81.5 · Over

What We Love:

Gio Stanton. Current Monster of Mash will be a fixture in Miami for the foreseeable future after inking the biggest contract in MLB history this past offseason. The Marlins slugger will make $325 million over the next 13 seasons to punish pitchers mistakes. If you like to see a ball get smashed, than Stanton at bats should be considered MUST WATCH TV.

Offseason acquisitions. The Marlins used their depth of pitching to bring in SP Mat Latos, SP Dan Haren, 2B Dee Gordon and 3B Martin Prado via trade. They also added the big bat of Mike Morse through free agency.

Christian Yelich’s toolbox. In 2015, the 23yr old Yelich hit .284/9/53 and added 21 SB in 144 games, it was his first full season with the Marlins; he also added a Gold Glove.

The return of Jose Fernandez. The 2013 NL Rookie of the Year missed the majority of 2014 following Tommy John surgery. The 22 year old, and his FILTHY pitching arsenal, should be back around the All Star Break.

Adeiny Hechavarria’s Glove. Not AS GOOD as Andrelton Simmons’ but also not that far off.

What We Hate:

Bullpen behind Cishek. Not a whole lot of depth here. Former All Star reliever, Aaron Crow, was brought in via trade from the Royals in exchange for another reliever, Brian Flynn. Unfortunately for the Fish, the newly acquired Crow will miss the entire 2015 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Jarred Cosart’s (apparent) betting. The Marlins pitcher was investigated by MLB officials and fined by the Marlins in relation to gambling on sports other than baseball. Not only does it look bad on Cosart, but it also comes in the same year that Pete Rose is seeking reinstatement to MLB from new commissioner, Rob Manfred.

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: The veteran Dotel was a member of the Blue Jays bullpen during Henderson Alvarez’s rookie season in 2011.

Final Prediction: 2nd NL East

New York Mets

Home Field: Citi Field

2014: 79 – 83 · 3rd NL East

O/U in 2015: 81 Wins · Over

What We Love:

Matt Harvey’s return. The Mets ace missed all of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John at the end of the 2013 season. Harvey was one of the breakout stars of 2013 and, barring any setbacks, he should return back to his 2013 form. May be on a Strasburg-esque innings limit this season.

David Wright and Michael Cuddyer’s bromance. The two played baseball in the same town as kids. The older Cuddyer, was drafted in the 1st round (9th overall) out of high school in 1997.Wright, who is four years younger than Cuddyer, modelled his game after Cuddyer’s style of play.

Any Bartolo Colon start. Not because of his pitching, but because you know Colon will get a chance to bat and (maybe) run the bases.

What We Hate:

Zack Wheeler’s torn UCL. Just as the Mets get Matt Harvey back from Tommy John, they lose the 24yr old Wheeler to the same injury.

Josh Edgin’s torn UCL. An already weak looking bullpen lost their top LH option before the start of the season.

Travis d’Arnaud’s durability. Offensive minded catcher has struggled with injuries throughout his professional career.

David Wright’s durability. The face of the franchise as missed (large) parts out of 3 of the last 4 seasons. Mets will need him on the field and in the lineup if they want to finish above .500 in 2015.

Impact Player: SP Matt Harvey

Potential Breakout Candidate: C Travis d’Arnaud

Potential Bust Candidate: OF Michael Cuddyer

Top Prospect: Noah Syndergaard · RHP · MLB: 2015

Irrelevant Throwback Player: OF Benny Agbayani (1998-2001)

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: The Mets were the first, of thirteen teams, that Dotel played for. They signed him as a 20yr old international free agent in 1993 and he made his MLB debut for them in 1999.

Final Prediction: 3rd NL East

Philadelphia Phillies

Home Field: Citizens Bank Park

2014: 73 – 89 · 5th NL East

O/U in 2015: 67 Wins · Over

What We Love:

Cole Hamels. Still one of the top pitchers, and southpaws, in the game today. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Hamels get traded as some point throughout the season (Boston anyone?) but until that day comes, he will remain one of the few bright spots on the Phillies roster.

Backend of Bullpen. If the Phillies manage to get a lead early on, the trio of Jonathan Papelbon, RHP Ken Giles and LHP Jake Diekman could slam the door shut from the 7th inning on. But that is a big IF.

Ben Revere’s wheels. Revere had a breakout year in 2014, hitting for a .306 average and stealing 49 bags in 151 games; he also accounted for 71 runs.

Chase Utley playing 155 games last season. A very bright spot for the oft-injured All Star.

The Mike Schmidt era throwback jerseys.

What We Hate:

Reuben Amaro Jr’s. Phillies GM unwillingness to commit to a rebuild has left them with more untradeable contracts (Cliff Lee, Ryan Howard, Utley, and Papelbon) than valuable trade pieces. Let’s hope that he doesn’t make the same mistake when it comes to Cole Hamels’ long term future.

Cliff Lee’s future. Former Cy Young winner faces an uncertain future as he attempts to comeback from a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.

Ryan Howard’s remaining contract. Making $25mil through 2016. Club has a $23mil option in 2017 or will face a $10mil buyout. That $10mil buyout looks like a steal to get out from under this contract.

Impact Player: SP Cole Hamels

Potential Breakout Candidate: RP Ken Giles

Potential Bust Candidate: 2B Chase Utley

Top Prospect: J.P Crawford · SS · MLB: 2016

Irrelevant Throwback Player: P Rheal Cormier (2001-06)

Six Degrees of (Octavio) Dotel: Was teammates with Phillies OF Jeff Francoeur when the two were members of the Braves back in 2007.

Final Prediction: 5th NL East

Washington Nationals

Home Field: Nationals Park

2014: 96 – 66 · 1st NL East

O/U in 2015: 93 Wins · Over

What We Love:

That Pitching Rotation. RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Stephen Strasburg, RHP Jordan Zimmerman, LHP Gio Gonzalez and RHP Doug Fister. When Doug Fister is your 5th starter, you know your team has a loaded starting rotation. Nationals also have 15 game winner, Tanner Roark, working as the long man in the bullpen.

Bryce Harper’s ridiculous combo of bat speed and power. If he can stay healthy, Harper could be one of the big breakouts of 2015.

Anthony Rendon’s continuing emergence as an elite 3B. Although fans will have to wait for his 2015 debut as he is currently on the DL.

Ryan Zimmerman no longer being a defensive liability at 3B.

Betting on Honest Abe in the Presidents race. His 264 wins, since the race begin in 2006, have him miles ahead of George Washington (188) in 2nd

What We Hate:

Durability Concerns. Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Bryce Harper, Denard Span, Jayson Werth, Stephen Strasburg, Casey Janssen and Wilson Ramos have all spent time on the Disabled List during their career. In fact, Rendon, Werth, Span and Janssen will (all) open the season on the DL.

Weak bullpen. Trading Tyler Clippard to the A’s didn’t help either.

Poor post season performers. Unceremoniously bounced in two NLDS appearances.

Adrian Beltre: It seems almost a lifetime ago that Beltre mashed 48 HR with the Dodgers, but that was only 11 years ago (wow). Remember when he parlayed that season into a monstrous free agent contract in Seattle, only to have people question if he had anything left in his tank after the contract expired? Remember how he silenced those same critics by putting up a (near) career year in Boston (.321/28/102) after signing a one year deal? How about how he established himself as one of the premier 3B in the game after four straight dominant seasons in Texas?

During his four year tenure in the Lone Star State, Beltre has hit .315/117/376 in 589 games, made three All Star teams, won two Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, and finished 3rd in MVP voting in 2012. Not too shabby for a guy who seemed to be in decline following his days in Seattle (2008). Besides raking at the plate and playing exceptional defense in the field, Beltre has also managed to play himself into the Hall of Fame conversation. Beltre currently sits with a .285 career average, 395 HR, 2604 hits and four Gold Gloves; those numbers alone are borderline Hall of Fame worthy. Now factor in that Beltre could feasibly play another 3-5 years and perhaps reach 450 career HR and 3000 hits. How does this guy not get into Cooperstown?

Honourable Mentions:

Seeing Prince smash baseballs (again): The Big Man only hit 3 HR in 150 AB in his Texas debut before being shut down for the season to undergo spinal fusion surgery on a herniated disk in his neck. When healthy, Fielder is among the elite power threats in MLB and his power should play well in his home field.

Top of the order: RF Choo, SS Andrus, 1B Fielder and 3B Beltre.

Joey Gallo’s power: Rangers top prospect might have best power in the minor leagues, having hit 104 HR in three minor league seasons.

Watching Beltre LOSE IT when someone touches his head: Just don’t do it!

Depth of Starting Rotation: Even before receiving the (disastrous) news that rotation ace, Yu Darvish, would be lost for the entire 2015 season because of Tommy John surgery, the Rangers were already being faced with a pretty thin starting rotation. Aside from the injury to Darvish, the Rangers also have starters, Matt Harrison and Martin Perez, currently sitting on the shelf with injuries. Perez will be out until mid season as he recovers from his own Tommy John surgery, while Matt Harrison, who was originally rumoured to have his career ended by injury, could potentially return by mid season as he battles back from lumbar spinal disk fusion surgery.

Heading into 2015, the Rangers will look to LHP Derek Holland to anchor the rotation, although Holland too has struggled to stay healthy and has spent time on the DL. Yovanni Gallardo was brought in from Milwaukee via trade, but with a diminishing fastball and strikeout rate who knows what to expect from the new arrival. The backend of the rotation doesn’t get much better as it will be rounded out by the trio of RHP Colby Lewis, LHP Ross Detwiler and RHP Nick Tepesch. There is also a possibility that top pitching prospect, Jake Thompson, who was acquired from Detroit for RP Joakim Soria, could make an appearance in the rotation at some point during the season.

Honourable Mention:

Yu Darvish’s Torn UCL: Rotation implications aside, Tommy John surgery for the Rangers ace will prevent fans from seeing one of the best in the game until mid 2016 (at the earliest).

Bottom of the order: DH Mitch Moreland has the most offensive upside after the top of the order. After him, things could get bleak. The lineup should be rounded out by the likes of LF Jake Smolinski, CF Leonys Martin, 2B Rougned Odor and C Robinson Chirinos.

Remaining contracts of Fielder, Choo and Andrus: Fielder will get a princely sum of $24mil per year through 2020, Choo will get $20mil a season through 2020 and Andrus will make $15mil a season through 2020.

Jurrickson Profar’s days as a top prospect: Two years removed from being the consensus best prospect in baseball, Rangers fans will have to wait until 2016 to see their former elite prospect back on the field after suffering (another) shoulder injury.

On the DL: Rangers set a MLB record in 2014 when their players spent a combined 2116 days on the Disabled List.

Player to Watch: 1B Prince Fielder. It is really hard to get a pulse on what type of player Prince will be following his return from spinal fusion surgery. While the Rangers, and baseball fans far and wide, will hope to see the big man return to his old ball crushing ways, there will be no guarantees that he returns to his former dominance. As a batter, Fielder puts every possible ounce of energy he has into each and every swing. This, in turn, could be extremely dangerous and detrimental to the injury, and subsequent surgery, that cost him his 2014. Even more concerning, is knowing that there is a possibility that the spinal surgery could cause further regression and force Fielder from the game early; similar to what happened to his father, Cecil. Personally, even as a Blue Jays fan, I hope that the big man comes back better than ever. MLB is that more exciting when Prince is mashing.